Hey guys! Here I am with a brand new chapter for you guys to read. I really hope you will enjoy it, have a great read, bye.

A Shattered Life

Chapter 16: Betrayal and Death

The stars shine above in the sky, their glittering lights cast a peaceful glow across the dark land of Gwain. The moon light glistened brightly along the small river making it quite beautiful to look at, but suddenly, a red haired girl popped her head out from the water, it was clear she was in dire need of fresh air. "Finally...I can breathe." Said Ruby as she swim towards dry land, but the injuries she had suffered were causing her a lot of pain, not to mention the dagger that was still stuck in her shoulder. "...I-I can't believe, I left C-Crescent Rose back there." She got out from the river with some struggle. "I have to warn to Geo before Solomon does anything to him or his dad."

Ruby raised herself, but the amount of pain she felt was too much for her, so she fell to her knees. "D-Dammit!" She looked at the dagger and placed her hand around it's hilt. Then, she began to pull it. "Ahhh! Just a little more." It hurt badly but she had no choice, she had to remove it. "Ahhhhh!" Blood sprayed across the grass when the blade came out. "That man will pay for what he did." Ruby got up, she reached to her pocket and grabbed her Scroll. Unfortunately, it was wet, so it couldn't be used and to make matters worse her vision was starting to get blurry.

"Avala's home is nearby, I have to reach her fast." She slowly walked while leaving a small trail of blood behind. Ruby then coughed and when she looked down at her hand she saw blood. "This isn't good, I..." She coughed again. "...Have to hurry." A sharp pain struck her chest from deep within, forcing her to lean against the wall of an old abandoned building. The pain subsided at times, only to flare up again with seemingly increased intensity. Ruby squeezed her silver eyes shut and her face turned to a grimace. Swallowing the pain and ignoring it was the only option she had at the moment.

Ruby continued to walk but she was getting weak by each passing second. An eerie silence had taken over and was sometimes interrupted by the cracking of wood in the wind and the occasional bird who had made it's home in one of the several collapsed roofs. "I-I can see her house, h-her lights are still on that's good." Her voice was somewhat shaky and her forehead was dripping with sweat. She placed her hand on the metal gate and tried to push it forward in order to open it but she didn't have enough strength. "A-Avala! Can you hear me! Avala!" Ruby shouted as she stared at the front door, waiting for her friend to come to help her.

From the outside the house looks luxurious, because it was built with wood covered in render and has white stone decorations. Large, triangular windows allow enough light to enter the home and have been added to the house in a mostly asymmetric way. The structure is fairly rounded in shape and the place is also half surrounded by a few big trees. "Who's there?" Avala opened the door. Her rather simple dress flows from top to bottom and had a cowl neckline, which elegantly reveals the modest dress worn below it. The velvety, buttoned up fabric of her dress covers her stomach, where the continuous flow is broken up by a smaller leather belt worn high around her waist. "Oh god! Ruby!"

"Y-You must w-warn G-Geo..." Ruby couldn't finish speaking as she fell to the ground.

Avala quickly went to her, when she got down on her knees to check on her friend, she saw multiple cuts spread across her figure and a nasty wound located at the young girl's shoulder. "Who did this to you?!" She asked extremely worried, but Ruby was unconscious, so she got no answer. "I need act fast before you bleed out." Avala grabbed her and took her inside. "I barely have any medical training, but I will do my best to keep you alive. I won't let you die do you hear me? I won't."

The next day...

Lord Geo was making his way towards the throne room, he was quite concerned about his girlfriend has he couldn't find her anywhere in the castle. "Where are you Ruby?" He whispered to himself. "I better go talk with Yang, perhaps she will know where to find her." The boy placed his hands on the large door that led to the throne room and opened it without much effort.

The room had magnificent braziers surrounding each of the eight soapstone columns that light up the entire place and radiate warmth across the hall. The stained glass windows in the arched ceiling dance in flickering light while gargoyle and other sculptures look down upon the mahogany floor of this ceremonious hall. A scarlet rug runs down from the throne for a few meters before coming to an end while pointed banners with burnished plumes decorate the walls. Between each banner stands a large candlestick, many of them have been lit to illuminate the wall paintings of powerful creatures below them.

Captain Solomon and Lord Aiden seemed to be discussing about something, so Geo decided to not interrupt them and walk to the window to see if he could find Yang on the courtyard. "I thought she would be here, but I guess I was mistaken." He said. Then, the sound of a bell ringing caught his attention and smoke began to appear from almost every corner of Gwain. "What the hell is happening?" Geo was confused. "Father, we should gather the Mirage Knights and head to the town market to see if..." The young Lord paused when he turned around and saw in horror Solomon's blade piercing his father's chest.

"S-Solomon?! You traitorous b-bastard!" Aiden shouted while having blood running down his mouth.

Solomon laughed like crazy, he had been dreaming for this day for a long time. "Hahaha! Your days of ruling this pathetic town have come to an end." He pulled his sword out from Aiden's chest and kicked him in the stomach, throwing him to the floor. "You have grown weak old man, even your youngest son, Geo has more balls than you ever did." The Captain said. "What kind of father would send his own two sons to fight his battles for him? It was because of you that Cerviel died, and Geo will be next after Salem is done with him."

"Father!" Geo ran to him, he placed his hands on the wound as he tried to stop the bleeding. "Stay with me father!" The young boy's voiced showed fear and panic. "I...I can't lose you too, you are the only family I have left." Tears ran down his face.

Aiden reached his hand to his son's cheek and cleaned his tears. "M-My boy, don't you...waist tears for this old fool. It was my fault that your mother and your brother died that night." He coughed quite violently and more blood came out. "...I-If I had listen to O-Ozpin, this wouldn't have happened."

"Don't talk, save your strength." The young boy said with a shaky voice.

"I don't need it." Lord Aiden replied. "Geo, you will become the last surviving member of the Casterwill's and has your duty, you must take this relic and give it to Ozpin." His eyes started to close as he placed a small object inside Geo's coat." I...I...love you, my son. I hope you can forgive me for everything I...h-have done." With those last words, Aiden died as a single tear ran down his lifeless cheek.

Geo's heart was completely broken, he shook his father's body a few times, calling his name. "Father! Father! Don't leave me, please!" But it was of no use, Lord Aiden was dead and nothing could change that.

"Finally! It's my turn to be King." Solomon took the crown from the floor and placed it on his head. "Listen kid, crying won't bring your idiot father back, but don't worry in a couple of days you will join your family in hell, you have my word."

When Solomon turned around, Geo charged at him with incredible speed and rage, he then launched himself towards him and both of them broke through the large window, falling down to the courtyard. "Ahhh!" He felt a sting of pain throughout his entire body as they crashed into the dirt. "You caught me off guard back there, but that won't happen again you little runt." He rose up. "What are you thinking anyway? You can't beat me."

"I'm not planning on beating you..." Geo released his sword, and at that precise moment his body was surrounded by a faint purple light, then his sclera turned black. "I'm going to tear you APART!" He yelled, charging straight forward towards the old Captain.

Their blades clashed violently against one another, cracking the ground below their feet. Geo had a focused look upon his face as all he could think of was how badly he wanted to kill his opponent. The young Lord aimed his blade at Solomon's figure, but it was blocked. "Let me show you a new trick that I learned!" He pushed Geo's sword away and shouted. "Aura Eruption!" From his other hand, a sudden blast surged forward, hitting Geo's form as his eyes widened as he flew backward from the attack.

Geo could feel numerous stabs of the Aura attack upon his body but there was no blood falling from where he was stabbed, because this particular technique was mostly used for torture other than most. Geo then landed with both boots on the ground. "It will take more than that to stop me!" A sudden burst of wind drew his attention as Solomon appeared next to him, his blade going into a sweeping motion, the attack aiming to slash his chest but Geo managed to block it.

"Where did he get this much power?!" Said Geo, feeling the weigh of Solomon's blade pushing him backwards. With a frown, Geo raised his Aura even higher, stopping the blade's path. The Captain's destructive Aura was terrible as it continued to push against him, but with a yell, the boy pushed the sword away from him.

"Hahaha!" Solomon laughed. "This is where real men belong Geo, in the fight!"

"I don't give a fuck!" He replied.

"Only the strong survive! I've taught you that much!"

After saying that, Geo slammed his fist against his opponent's face. "That decision is not yours to make!" He then followed with a fierce kick to the man's stomach, causing some spit to fly from his mouth.

"What you think or believe doesn't concern me, but let me tell you, that you and the other fools like Ozpin won't be able to stop my mistress, Salem!"

The two charged at each other again and their weapons clashed against together. Geo could feel his teeth gritting together as he sliced at his opponent but he still managed to block each of his strikes like they weren't even there. Geo was pushed back from an attack that made his sword fly away towards the water-fountain a few meters away. "What's the matter boy?! I thought you wanted to kill me!" Solomon punched the young man on the face. "Salem will conquer this world and no one can stop her. She's the only and true Goddess of Remnant, everyone will obey her." He said.

"That's why..." Geo grabbed Solomon's arm and pulled it away from his face, he clenched his other hand and delivered a fiery punch on the Captain's stomach. "I PRAY TO NO ONE!"

With that attack Solomon was sent flying into the air, he then broke through the wall of the castle. Lord Geo rushed towards him, but has he was about to reach him, a young woman appeared from out of nowhere and smashed both of her fists against Geo's figure. "Watching you two fighting has been quite entertaining, but I can't let you kill that man, he's still useful to my mistress." Said Cinder as two small orbs began to form in her hands. "Hell's Torrent!"

"Ahhhh!" That attack completely engulfed Geo and sent him rolling across the battlefield. "G-God dammit!" He could barely keep his eyes open after that. When Cinder approached him, she noticed the boy's eyes had returned to normal. "...I-I won't lose t-to you." He tried to get up, but Cinder pinned him to the ground and applied some pressure on his chest.

"I like you Geo, that rage suits you very well, not to mention your unyielding determination." She smiled. "After Salem is done with you, I might keep you has my pet."

"...Go to hell!"

"Where do you think I come from."